Summer is coming to an end, long days at the pool or sandbar will soon be over, and dry colder days are ahead. That’s usually the time when we notice the effects of the long days sun exposure on our skin. A lot of people start complaining about uneven tone, dry skin and unpleasant sunspots.

Here is a little background information about the sunspot formation: Sunspots on the skin are a focal increase of skin pigment called melanin; because of UV exposure, the pigment-making cells, called melanocytes, produced excess pigment in just one spot instead of uniformly across your skin surface. Your skin is ultimately defending itself from UV rays and reacting from it. When your skin makes too much melanin in one area, or when it is forced to make too much melanin over time, it can create lasting speckles and spots.

Tips & products for skincare:

SPF, use this daily! You can never use too much SPF. Protecting your face from UV rays are essential in making sure you avoid sunspots and harmful overexposure from the sun. SPF adds a layer of protection to help keep the sunspots away. Most makeups will have an SPF ingredient in them, as well as certain daytime moisturizers that you can apply under your makeup or as your main coverage.

Wear your sunglasses, this protection is vital for the skin around your eyes and your eyes. UV rays do have the ability to harm your skin and your retina from too much time directly in the sun’s rays. Your eyes and the area around them are one of the most sensitive places on your face and body.

A rich antioxidant diet can help with sunspot prevention. This is one of the many varieties of natural ways to reduce the appearance of sun damage on your skin. Flavonoid-rich diets can help reduce your risk of melanoma cancer. They are powerful antioxidants found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant, that is a naturally occurring compound found in plants like grapes and berries. While its anti-aging properties have been widely discussed, scientists are now confident that resveratrol can also significantly decrease melanin production.

Niacinamide, also known as Vitamin B3, prevents melanin from reaching the surface of the skin and protects from additional UV damage. Studies have shown that not only can it help prevent hyperpigmentation and the onset of sun damage, but it is also an effective skin lightener as well.

Aloe Vera is another great resource for protecting your skin from sunspots. It will keep your skin in great condition and can help even out your sunspots if you already see them. Aloe Vera has the power to prevent and get rid of sunspots.

You can never go wrong with seeing a dermatologist. Do not hesitate to call and make an appointment with your doctor if you have any specific concerns about sunspots or the complexion of your skin. A dermatologist will be able to determine what practices are best for you.

Lastly, limit your time in the sun. Limiting your exposure will prevent overexposure which we have learned can cause sunspots and melanin deficiencies. Keep your skin protected with the above tips and you can soak up the summer rays without damaging your skin.

Hannah Moses is a contributing author for Bold Expressions Inc. , a brand dedicated to bringing you healing and nourishing skin products and some inspiration to your mind. Bold Expressions encourages you to take that “me” time and fully enjoy your skincare and bathing experiences.

It’s a hot day right in the middle of summer and I can almost feel the meditative state of people walking past me. I am heading for an ice cream at one of my favourite places on Europa Alee when I hear a voice: You girl look damn hot in that dress….

As it turns out a couple of lemonades later, the girl who complimented me on my dress is as passionate (and nerdy) as me about new fashion and artisanal accessories. More importantly, we both like playing around with styles and using clothes creatively to convey our mixed cultural identity.

A few weeks later, Meli and I are sitting at a small café near the same Europa Alee and I have a suitcase full of clothes I’ve borrowed from the same designer whose piece gathered her admiration. Nana Kwame Adusei released his first fashion collection 5 years ago. His line Charlotte Privè is represented and available in Switzerland thanks to the Swiss Agency for African Fashion Design Hanimanns.

Those who know me well know that I have the enthusiasm of a 4-year-old about new fashion and innovation in clothing. I am therefore willing to do whatever is in my power to let the world know about Charlotte Privé and inspire my friends and followers to make better choices when buying their next fashionable pieces. That’s how I find myself in the early hours of one of those hot summer days in July chatting to Meli and another friend, whom we have invited to photograph us, about friendship, Urs, the new cool drink that every fashionista should be buying now, and the best blow dry for unruly hair in the city. But let’s get back to Charlotte Privé.

Born in Ghana, Nana Kwame Adusei is not an African designer in the classical sense. He doesn’t use so many African wax prints. His pieces are a wise mix of his African identity and the global “working woman” style. I can see his clothes worn by confident and mature women with a strong sense of personal style. The boxy pockets in combination with the unexpected slit at the back of the dresses create an interesting mix of feminine sensuality and unapologetic determination. I would say theCharlotte Prive woman is the hero of her own story.

Let’s now ask what the designer has to say about his own work:

Tsitaliya: Did you always want to become a fashion designer?

Nana Kwame Adusei: No, as a child I wanted to play basketball and when that didn’t work out I started modeling. That’s when I started spending time in designers’ ateliers where my interest around fashion came.

Tsitaliya: You grew up in a family with three sisters. What did you learn about women that influenced your work later?

Nana Kwame Adusei: It’s interesting because my sisters weren’t that different as a body type or structure, yet their personalities and everything about them required different cuts, colours, and styles. This made me think about women differently and I started paying attention to all kinds of details besides just the body type.

My sisters were also very bold with colours. I remember one of them layering red on orange, which at the time was regarded a little crazy. It came out really good on her considering she used sheer fabrics. These colours are till today two of my favourites.

Another thing I learned from my sisters was that ultimately the clothes have to be comfortable and practical. I’ve always looked at women as strong, intelligent, sexy, godlike people with things to do and places to be. They need to move effortlessly through their day without anything holding them back and yet looking good. I am not a fan of garments that look good in photos but in real life are uncomfortable.

I also like to use pockets whenever I can because for some funny reason I believe when a woman takes a minute to put her hands in her pockets she’s coming back stronger.

Tsitaliya: You’ve been designing clothes since 2012. How has your style evolved or changed through the years?

Nana Kwame Adusei: I started with custom-made garments, which was the hardest job for me. I had lots of clients and each one of them would come in with four different fabrics in hand, with a screenshot of Beyoncé on their phone and really high expectations of me. I found myself explaining all the time how long it took Givenchy to make that dress for the singer and would it be impossible if I simplify it? I was praying to the universe to eventually take me out of the hands of such clients.

Tsitaliya: What was the first piece you designed?

Nana Kwame Adusei: I was at fashion school and my first garment was a Guy Laroche ruffled dress and it was the loveliest thing.

Tsitaliya: What woman did you have in mind when you were designing your latest collection?

Nana Kwame Adusei: My Christmas collection was designed based on fabric availability. For instance, I had jungle-printed fabrics, some dyeable cotton laces, some printed chiffons. At this point, I imagined a woman on vacation in the tropics of course.

So normally the process goes like this: I would imagine her leaving the hotel, crossing the lobby and reaching the bar, where she would wait for her ride. The movement for me is everything. If a dress is well-cut, then the way it moves would attract immediate attention. I am very conscious of how the garment falls.

Tsitaliya: Who is your role model and what do you admire about her or him?

Nana Kwame Adusei: My grandmother. I remember her waking up at 4.00am every day and growing up with her I just acquired that same habit. I think waking up early makes a whole lot of difference. Waking up early to do the right things though.

I just wanted to pop in here today and wish you all a great week, without any particular reason really! This year I’ve decided to spend all of July in the city, making small trips to my favourite destinations in and out of Switzerland. And how lucky we are this year with the Swiss summer (emoji wearing sunnies The kids are staying with their grandparents for the summer, so this is a perfect opportunity for my husband and I to re-connect and spend some mindful time together, go to the open-air cinema, read a book at the lake, sunbathe and have long dinners on the terrace, meet friends… I’ve been missing those times.

Whatever you have planned today, I hope you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones, and you get to do all your favourite things this summer no matter where you are, listening to your most-loved songs on repeat while singing along…

And in case you are asking yourself how to make each and every day of this summer count I have an idea! I basically live in dresses all summer long, but i know many women feel uncomfortable to wear dresses, because they are too …dressy. For me dresses are easy and fun and they make me feel every inch of my body, they remind me of summer sunsets by the sea, open air cinemas, beach fires and mostly how powerful my feminine side can be.

So here’s what I’ve been thinking: Why not wake up every day to wearing a dress. Just because you are a woman and you want to awaken all your senses, to add a spark to your daily routine, to have something that makes you dream…

My girlfriends and I were talking last night about the movie A bigger Splash , and Tilda Swinton’s character in it. We talked about the way such a strong woman can carry herself in a dress…she is so sexy and sensuous, and vulnerable, and yet, you can feel her power vibrating within… a woman of her own! A rockstar who wears dresses. A woman who let go of the rock-start image…so I challenge you to press the Inner Critic button on pause and dress in the next seven days for yourself! There is no better time to be feminine and vulnerable than the summer. Do you agree?

Plus for me dresses are made to celebrate femininity and to make your heart sing. They can put you immediately in that spirit of dancing barefoot under the starry sky.

Inspired by The Dress today I’ve put together a list of my fave summer dresses (that can take you easily into the autumn too). Here they are:

Ukrainian architect-turned-designer Lidiya Pfayfer embroiders symbols of her favourites places, including Shanghai, St Tropez and Bali, onto lightweight linen dresses. This is a must have summer dress! Add to basket …

The leopard print is a must for every girl who’s bold, daring and driven! This summer and autumn you will see a lot of the print and Ganni has gone a touch further by creating the print in red! Claim your crown baby!

My favourite dress and top this summer are designed by Natalia Alaverdian, Russian- born, London-based, Belgium-raised, half-Armenian fashion director, stylist, photographer and designer. Her clothes have become the favourites of the fashion celebrity pack. Her label A.W.A.K.E is an acronym for All Wonderful Adventures Kindle Enthusiasm, which, the designer explained in an interview with the New York Times in 2012, is basically her way of saying, strike while the iron is hot. Go and read her interview and indulge if you can in her absolutely gorgeous pieces! On sale now on net-a-porter!

The Saloni Isa dress is for girls who love vintage, who love ruffles and own that little enthusiasm to mix and match what’s in their granny’s wardrobe with the trendies piece they own. I love the sassy spirit of that dress which can be downplayed with a leather biker jacket or a blazer for the office.

With such interest I’ve always been looking to choose and buy pieces for my wardrobe that have their own story, that trigger my imagination and provoke my curiosity mixed with almost child-like excitement to learn more about the world and other cultures and traditions. Today high street fashion threatens to suffocate most independent small designers and creative minds, but we all hope that will change (check our articles on Mode Suisse).

And as an activist and mindful consumer who wants to be in some way a catalyst for such change, I’ve decided to start a series of Fashion Story Telling for Mums in Heels. My first partner in crime is Melanie Hanimann, the founder of the African Fashion Agency Hanimanns:

Melanie Hanimann

Tsitaliya: Melanie tell me about the agency, how did you come up with the idea?

Melanie: I took a month off in October last year to visit Ghana. At this time the Accra Fashion Week took place. I realized that there are many great designers in Ghana, but they have no way to sell their product. In Ghana, the market is still very small, and the step to Europe is impossible for the designers. So I had the idea to represent them and promote their collections in Europe.

I started my own agency with the desire to build a cultural bridge between Africa and Europe. This agency can serve both sides as a platform where buyers can get an access to a different kind of style and fashion design.

Tsitaliya: Is this fashion only for women of colour?

Melanie: Not at all. On the one hand, the designers are very different, not all of them work with the typical wax prints we associate with Africa. I try to represent this diversity of designers with my agency. On the other hand, the combination is key. With the good styling, these collections fit perfectly into every day “Swiss” life.

Tsitaliya: Why African fashion?

Melanie: As half Taiwanese / half Swiss, I grew up in two cultures. I have always been fascinated by different cultures and lifestyles. In 2011 I was in Ghana for a few months as a volunteer and was able to get to know the country and the culture. Africa took me from the first minute.

The continent is extremely rich with different peoples and different traditions. I like the courageous way the designers approach colours and shapes.

Tsitaliya: What is your dream, what do you want to achieve with your idea? How do you want to impact the world?

Melanie: Stories of Africa are not told well. Often the beautiful stories about art, music and design get lost between the stereotypical stories.

Africa has great economic potential and the most youthful population in the world. These are all people with great motivation to tell their authentic story and show modern Africa. If you take your time to stay in Accra, you will discover an extremely large number of galleries, music events, talks, fashion events, great bars, concept stores and much more, actually very similar to Zurich or Paris.

It is crucial to me that this undertone, which always comes with Africa will disappear. I’m not a charity organisation; I work on an equal level with the designers. Of course, my agency supports the local population, because we produce in Africa. But most important to me is to show a new approach to Africa.

Fashion generally has to find a new approach. As far as sustainability or working conditions are concerned. My vision is of course to make an impact in this area, but there is still a long way to go.

Tsitaliya: If you can share one message with the modern woman today, what would it be?

]]>http://lidijahi.myhostpoint.ch/mih/african-fashion-and-storytelling/feed/12Kids and Technology, how to change the rules around using it at homehttp://lidijahi.myhostpoint.ch/mih/kids-development-technolgy/
http://lidijahi.myhostpoint.ch/mih/kids-development-technolgy/#commentsWed, 25 Jul 2018 22:23:54 +0000https://mums-in-heels.com/?p=5465

A few days ago, I met with Dr. Brandi Eijsermans, an international developmental psychologist, who will be answering monthly on Mums in Heels any questions you might have as a parent about connectedness, dialogue, and emotional development. We decided to create a rubric for parentingsupport, because, if you are like me, there are a lot of questions and doubts you wish you were able to ask a psychologist about finding help to deal with certain situations: bullying, insecurity, self-confidence, betrayal, loss of trust, etc.

Today, however, I want to talk about how technology affects our children’s development and behavior. During our talk Dr. Eijsermans said something that stuck with me: we can’t teach our children what we can’t model!

Later that night on the way home I started thinking of the examples I set for my children while trying to teach them the complete opposite:

Watching TV late at night

Eating chocolate in bed after dinner

Taking my phone and computer to bed

By the way, I have a pretty good explanation for all of that, but, when I think from the perspective of my kids, I now realise I am sending them confusing messages.

In a recent article I came upon in NestMaven.com, I read that “children start to be interested in electronic devices and technology because they see adults using them. They see how much attention we give them, which shows them that they must be something interesting to pay attention to.

An overstimulated, under-rested child can be a bit of a nightmare for parents. They have no patience, no attention span and have trouble controlling their emotions…”

The question of technology and children is a complicated one and I am not an expert but, as responsible parents, I think all of us have to know the effects of technology on our kids, and more importantly learn how to distract our kids from excessive use of video games and computers.

At home, for example, we always try to find alternatives to technology. After dinner the whole family will sit and play snakes and ladders or Uno together. My son is now learning the Cyrillic alphabet and he enjoys coming up with words we should guess after he announces only the first letter.

I know that oftentimes being tired after a long day at work doesn’t help much in such situations, but in fact it is also a better way for us parents to relax than watching TV or getting back on our phones.

If you want to learn more about how technology affects our children and what we can do about it, read more here

I don’t know about your holidays, but mine are usually a blur of family gatherings and dinners with friends I haven’t seen for years combined with a fast marathon through the local shops and restaurants, lost in the desire to do all I’ve been missing in the past years of absence from my home town. In between, my husband and I would squeeze an escape to the beach somewhere in Greece. It is busy overall and if I can describe it in the best way – it feels like a Big Fat Greek Wedding.

First of all, how recharged and truly rejuvenated I can be after a 7-day trip that includes crowded airports, long driving distances, busy restaurants, noisy bars, lavish family meals, increased consumption of alcohol and of course lots of holiday snacks, packed with fat, salt, and sugar….

Observing my girlfriends as well, we spend so much time fantasising about our summer holidays; hustling over our diet, exercise routine, and revamping our wardrobe only to miss the joy and the real meaning of the holidays, returning more tired, grumpy, and dissatisfied than before.

So what can I (and perhaps you, too) change about summer holidays to live their magic to the fullest and ensure they serve me in the best possible way?

Like everything else, holidays are a matter of habit and sometimes we do the same thing over and over again because change is uncomfortable, and we feel anxious about the unknown. But sometimes things happen, like it rains throughout your entire holiday, or the chef who used to cook your favourite fish leaves and you start feeling disappointed. That’s when you contemplate the real meaning of your holiday – to rest the body, relax the mind, and recharge the soul – and you start looking for a new destination that can make you feel instantly revitalised.

And here is what happened to me: a month ago I was invited to a yoga class with Sandeep Agarwala, a yoga master visiting Zurich all the way from the magnificent Himalayas. After the class we were treated to a delicious Ayurvedic lunch, hosted by Ananda, an award-winning luxury destination spa resort in India, where Sandeep is practising and teaching.

The yoga practice was a mix of certain exercises combined with detailed explanations of how yoga works with the body, mind, and energy flow. I’ve realised that as popular as yoga is today in Western culture, we often miss the real purpose and meaning of this ancient Indian practice. Very often we choose yoga as a variation of our exercise routine, forgetting the mindfulness and the control of the breath or the so-called pranayama. Practising yoga daily is recommended as much as we need to brush our teeth, in order to bring balance and harmony between body, mind, and spirit, and to unlock the flow of energy and vitality within our lives. Yoga can be especially good for people like me, who have a dominant Vata dosha.

Now before I get lost in any explanation about Ayurveda, which is a great passion of mine, I want to tell you a little more about Ananda. People go to Ananda Spa and Wellness Resort for several reasons, but mostly to de-stress, detox, and bring vitality back to their lives.

This beautiful resort offers an impressive range of healing and wellness experiences, integrating traditional Ayurveda, yoga, and Vedanta. Upon arrival you can meet with an Ayurveda master who helps you define your constitution type and designs a meal plan for your stay. Visitors are encouraged to practise yoga and meditation daily. A private session with one of the yoga masters is arranged right at the beginning of your stay. Visitors can choose from a myriad of revitalising treatments such as sensuous aromatherapy, pressure point and tension release work through to reflexology, healing Tibetan Kuu Nye, and Himalayan crystal therapy to balance their chakras and cleanse their being of negative thoughts and energy.

Now this is what I call a holiday, speaks up my inner critic. Or to use a very modern Western term, this is a Strategic Investment in my Health, Wellness, and Productivity.

And if you are still not convinced, or just like me you crave a more dynamic daily routine, there is a fitness programme and daily hikes that take you to sweeping and dramatic mountain views, following tracks in the graceful Sal forests and visiting the spiritual town of Rishikesh and the Ganges river valley.

A final note on Ayurveda in case it caught your interest:

Years ago I became obsessed with Ayurveda’s ancient practices, which promote holistic balance in the physical body and mind. Ayurvedic diets are personalised and based on someone’s dosha, or constitution. The well-known benefits of the Ayurvedic diet include improved gut health, digestion, moods, sleep, fertility, and balanced body weight.

Finding out your dominant dosha can help you a lot in understanding your character, your strengths and weaknesses, and what increases or decreases your balance. You will know what kinds of food work for you, how to bring more balance and calmness, enhance digestion and even the type of massage oil you can use. Your constitution type says a lot about you. The simple example I can give you about me is that I have very dry hands and feet and that is typical for my constitution, but I can balance it in several ways. I also suffer from restlessness. I am a notorious doer, so I need exercises to help me relax and calm my energy so I can feel more grounded and focused.

The best way to find your dosha or constitution type is to meet with an Ayurveda master. Most people are a mix of two constitutions and you will be able to explore in detail what is your type and how you can restore your balance and harmonise your energy.

As I type this, my window is open, my son is asleep with his head rested on my lap, soothed by the gentle sound of summer rain drumming against the window while thunder occasionally rumbles in the distance. This past month has been particularly hot and humid and as much as I love summer and its romantic pop-up thunderstorms, I also can’t help but dread the way my skin reacts to humidity and heat. I know by now all too well that in summer many women suffer from oilier skin which is more prone to breakouts, and I am one of them.

Every summer I bustle over my skincare, trying hard to keep my skin’s healthy and glow, while avoiding the excess of sebum and grease. Unfortunately, more frequent traveling and changes of climate and diet don’t make things easier. Throughout the summer I would suffer from a scarred face and skin bumps lingering for weeks, which inevitably affected my mood and even my self-esteem. So this year I tried something different that seems to have worked and, for the first time in years, I feel my skin is in a wonderful state of balance and health.

Before I tell you what I’ve changed in my routine and summer skincare, I also want to give you a warning: there is no one universal miracle product that solves all skin problems in summer. Instead, I have done thorough research and tried many things and, based on that, I created my own approach that consists of several things that work in synchrony.

For the first time this year I started using fermented summer skincare. Let me tell you why I decided to go for it by explaining the process of fermentation: fermentation is a process of detoxifying plants and enhancing the effects of natural ingredients by preserving the product over a period of time. This preservation process actually builds up nutrients so that after a while the product will naturally form amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants. The active ingredients are also broken down by yeast so that they can be easily absorbed into the skin.

The skincare benefits are tenfold: the increase in amino acids helps to deal with fine lines, antioxidants help protect your skin and fight free-radicals and also help to lighten and even out your skin tone. Another plus is that, compared to other kinds of skincare, fermented creams and serums are more quickly and easily absorbed. The product I have found after a long period of research is Zymogen Houttuynia Cordata Ferment Serum, which comes in a 105ml brown glass bottle with a push-down lid. The liquid is very light and thin; the consistency is more like water than a cream. This makes it super easy to apply and doesn’t feel heavy on your skin (that’s important for me especially in summer).

It is also super hydrating and cooling when applied to the skin, very calming and has definitely played a part in reducing my acne and blackheads. What is also very important, especially in summer, is that the serum contains hyaluronic acid to give a boost of hydration to the skin. The other important ingredient is chamomile, a powerful herb known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-septic properties. Another interesting ingredient in this serum is licoriceextract, which is also known for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which helps to heal various skin conditions such as redness and inflammation.

2. Healthy skin is well-hydrated skin: it is very easy for the skin’s moisture levels to drop due to climatic conditions – heat, dryness, pollution, air conditioning, excess sweating – and lifestyle and eating habits such as alcohol, tobacco, and poor nutrition. All these have a considerate effect on our skin’s natural defences.

In summer it’s particularly important to take care of our skin, like sunshine, high temperatures, and increased perspiration are all adding to the risks. So this summer I took extra precautions and started using a powerful hydrating cream which also contains green tea, a powerful antioxidant that helps heal acne and inflammation. My favoured cream is Superfood Air-whip Hyaluronic Acid moisture cream, great for oily and combination skin.

I also started using face and hair mist to help my skin feel revitalised and well-hydrated. I chose Saje Rose Hydrating Euphoric mist which is very feminine and truly gentle.

3. Don’t forget your supplements. Starting in May I decided to tank on Antioxidants including zinc and selenium. Zinc is absolutely essential for beautiful skin because it is a key member of a group of enzymes that help the body maintain its collagen supply (collagen prevents wrinkly sagging skin – that pesky sign of aging) and it is important for hormonal balance. Zinc deficiency can be a root cause of acne and breakouts.

4. Watch your nutrition: cocktails, beer and wine, and spicy food are staples during the summer, but they are also oily skin culprits as they dilate blood vessels and increase perspiration. This year I am avoiding alcohol (this is not about stopping alcohol completely) and instead, I’ve increased the consumption of skin-healthy foods such as blueberries, whole grains, spinach, and peppers which are high in anti-oxidants and improve complexion.

Don’t forget that in summer chill skin is happy skin: adding some adaptogens to reduce the inflammation and hormone surges that add up to skin issues. Every morning I would drink a hot brew of ginger with kurkuma or sip a fresh drink of orange juice, ginger and kurkuma throughout the day. Another herb I kept adding to my smoothies was parsley, which is well-known for its skin lightening properties that can help reduce the appearance of dark spots and discolored skin. The other fresh herbs with anti-inflammatory effects I am using a lot this summer are basil and savory.

5. Visit your beautician more often in the summer and try the Ultrasonic Facial Cleanser. Think of the ultrasonic skin scrubber as a device that wicks away dead skin cells, dirt, and grime. It is a small handheld device that vibrates ultrasonically. Ask your beautician or check online for home care devices. This is a magic treatment that keeps my pores clear from any blackheads.

Another treatment I recommend to almost every type of skin is the Hydra Facial. It is the best thing you can do for yourself in the middle of summer. It not only cleans your congested pores, wrinkles and fine lines, but it targets hyperpigmentation too, AND quenches your skin’s thirst. It has an immediate effect, smoother skin, even tone and glowing face.

6. You may already know this but the sun destroys the collagen and elastin in our skin. That’s why it is important that we use some basic care such as hydration, collagen and elastin stimulation and strengthening. To some extent damaged collagen can be restored by the skin, but with age this ability slows down.

Collagen can be stimulated from inside and out. This means you can take supplements such as collagen powder added to your shakes or use an organic plant collagen builder (I am taking one this summer). At the same time you can stimulate the production of collagen and elastin with different facial treatments: laser stimulation, chemical peels, radiofrequency, and microneedling (this last one done at home with a micro roller). I do have a micro roller at home and this summer I’ve tried radio frequency, which stimulates collagen and has nothing to do with the proper hydration of the skin which is take care of with a Hydra Facial for example. It is important to know your skin need before you take any action.

7. Final reminder – drink more water! A little tip to encourage you to drink more water is that this summer one of the most popular drinks is herb- and fruit-infused water. My favourite one is made with pomegranate and peppermint, but you can choose any of your favourite fruits and buy an elegant fruit infuser glass pitcher or bottle.

At the beginning of this year, I remember a conversation I had with my new neighbor, who is a stay at home mum who recently moved to Switzerland, still struggling to learn the language and the local culture. I remember I was feeling sorry for her, trying to check on her several times per week. One morning she surprised me by saying that she had put together all her goals on a piece of paper, stuck it on the wall in her bedroom, next to her baby’s crib and had finally decided to take charge of her life. I was so proud of her! And I realized she had dreams too…But I also asked myself whether she would keep her promises and do something every day to approach those goals.

I offered to become her accountability partner. She offered to be mine, in building new healthy cooking habits. That conversation made me think about the importance of having an accountability partner and a support network of women who are ready to listen and help when you are overwhelmed by …well, life.

That’s how I decided to look for help and booked my ticket to the Festival of Doers in London. The experience was ……kick-ass, for lack of a better word! As Miisa Minkthe founder of the Driven Woman Network and organizer of the Festival of Doers says: When you come to us don’t expect answers, but a bunch of new questions because good questions are more powerful than trying to always find ready-made answers. Oh, I liked that, I really did, the kind of “no more excuses and BS” talk. And the encouragement to dive deep into your own future with your own ideas and a vision of how to design a life and a business that you, and mainly you, have to love!

The festival day was amazing, I loved the energy, the way women talked to each other openly and honestly and I felt really at home. These women were all communicating and operating at the same level as myself. We had the same issues and everyone spoke openly about them! Bear in mind there were women from around the globe and the program was quite intense as well with several workshops and three separate “Doer Clinics”.

I believe the Driven Network & the Festival of Doers’ success are rooted in the deep understanding of the founders of what women really want, and need today. One of their newsletters captures this perfectly:

The number of women looking for purpose is growing. Regardless of age or stage of life, women are seeking an identity and a legacy that is all their own outside their children. What these women want isn’t more money – they seek self-actualization, contributing their intrinsic gifts to make a difference.

Once we stop letting others belittle our ideas we end our struggle and start thriving. A completely new wave of women-centred innovation will grow out of this newly found confidence.

Superhuman Connective asked 177 women entrepreneurs WHY they started their own business and the number one reason was to create work that is more fulfilling.

Today I am meeting Fiona Flintham and Leonie Troxler, the two co-founders of DrivenWoman and Heads of DriveWoman Switzerland, who are also mums and business owners, and we are going to talk about the upcoming Festival of Doers in Zurich this September, how women are growing up personally and globally and how we are finally making it happen on our own terms and conditions!

Tsitaliya: Ladies, let’s start this interview with a very general question: do you think we are finally making our dreams and life happen for us, for real? What is your feeling globally speaking, despite that we are observing only a small part of this world?

Fiona & Leonie: Thank you Tsitaliya, we are very fortunate to be living in a western society, where we can freely talk about women’s’ development. At DrivenWoman we believe we are not victims, we believe we need to take responsibility for our own lives. However, often women do not know where to start. At DrivenWoman we give women a unique framework which has worked for thousands of women over the last 5 years. We believe that women can define their own success, and when they get the support they need they can dig deep, be vulnerable and authentic, and take small steps towards their purpose. As women start changing their mindset and start implementing change in their lives, this starts affecting their environment in a positive way, and as women we start making a bigger difference in the world.

Tsitaliya: Tell me about the DrivenWoman Network, how did you get engaged and what attracted you specifically to this network? Today there are a lot of women’s networks, how does the DrivenWoman mission and vision resonate with you and your values, even your lifestyle and personal vision?

Leonie and Fiona: We are passionate about empowering women to be their authentic selves and reconnect with their inner wisdom. This passion for women brought us together one and half years ago at a leadership training for DrivenWoman. It has been a dream of working together. DrivenWoman is unique in that we are inclusive, not focused on a specific profession, or life situation. The value that runs throughout our audience is that these women are ready to take responsibility for their own lives – not blaming their environment or situation, but prepared to take small steps towards their big goals. This idea of women supporting others, and helping each other to make small positive changes in their lives consistently every month is very much aligned with our personal values.

Many of us live under this blanket of perfection, where we do not dare to be truthful about our dreams for fear of criticism (often self) and because we want it all to be perfect. Life is not perfect, we do not have to be perfect.

Tsitaliya: When I came to the Festival of Doers in London last February and I met Miisa Mink, the original founder of the network, I remember her saying that it’s time for women to start acting from a position of opportunity and dreams, not from a position of being a victim. I really liked that! It reminded me of all the excuses I make not to show up for my business and my dreams. In her interview for the Huffington Post Miisa says “There is no need for a fight, there’s no enemy. We must look inside and ask “What do I want?”. This question is a game changer. It immediately puts you in a position of the creator and initiator of your own life and takes you out from the “defensive” mindset.

I wonder how many women you’ve met actually have this mind-set? And what is your impression, do we really know what we want? And if we do what stops us from getting it?

Fiona and Leonie: We noticed that the majority of the women we meet, take very little time if any to really discover and be honest about what it is they want. Many of us live under this blanket of perfection, where we do not dare to be truthful about our dreams for fear of criticism (often self) and because we want it all to be perfect. Life is not perfect, we do not have to be perfect. We believe in giving women the courage to say out loud what they want and to then help them to break those goals down into small steps which they can work on consistently.
By accepting our situation and taking responsibility for our lives, we can move on, provided we have a support network who have skin the game, a framework from which to work and an accountability, which keeps us motivated. Our Festival of Doers is a day where we celebrate all the great women in our tribe, we hear from women who have “made it” how vulnerable their journeys have been and embrace our fabulousness.

Tsitaliya: The DrivenWoman network was started exactly with this mind-set, right? To help women figure out exactly what they want and then actually go and get it. Because I hear people have so many ideas, but only a few get executed…What about you two: what do you want in the world to change for women and personally for you? We often say that every change starts with every one of us. What impact do you personally want to create in the world?

Leonie and Fiona: Yes, Tsitaliya it is all about mindset and figuring out what we want and then going for it. We want women to reach and go for their #biggerlife. It does not matter what your dream is, every dream is equal. We want women to be leading a more balanced fulfilled life, a purpose driven life. It is very hard to go at it alone even if you know what you want. Having a tribe behind you cheering you on and keep you accountable to your dreams makes all the difference. We are both driven by doing impactful work and are very passionate about empowering women. We dream of a new ecosystem, where women and men can live out their true destiny, making this world more sustainable, more mindful and more compassionate.

Tsitaliya: Support and accountability are a big part of what the DrivenWoman network does! Do you see women supporting each other today, for real? Can you explain a little about the structure of the network and how it works when you become a member of the Driven Woman network?

Fiona and Leonie: Once a woman has defined what it is she wants, support and accountability are key to her journey. At DrivenWoman we meet once a month to work on our lives by means of LifeWorking exercises, which we share and report back on. Each month we define steps to keep us moving towards our bigger life. Sharing our journey, keeping each other accountable and moving forwards helps women lead the life they dream of.

Several things stop women from living a bigger life. Many never take the time to really define what they want in all aspects of their life, or assess who they are and what they are good at.

Tsitaliya: I can feel the world is changing and women are gaining more courage, they are using their voice and they’ve started believing in themselves a little more than 5-10 years ago. However, do you feel women are happier? Aren’t we still trapped in some false idea of perfection, comparison, competition vs collaboration? How can we change that on a personal level, is it a matter of mind-set or having a conversation about it?

Leonie and Fiona: A lot is expected of people in a western world today, and it is easy to get caught up in being so busy, that you are not really featuring in your own life. For this to change in our world there has historically always been disruption. It does not appear to be any different today. The media has given a new platform to reach all around the globe and women are finding their voice and speaking up in all types of ways. Corporations that previously dismissed gender equality now have diversity and inclusion programmes for women and men. For many women they start realizing that what is currently on offer is not serving their mindset and needs, so they start searching. You cannot force happiness, but you can approach each day with a new mindset.

Tsitaliya: I never heard any of you two complain about life or circumstances, and as much as I am like you, not tolerating excuses, I still wonder what stops women today from achieving their dreams today? From living the life they desire?

Leonie and Fiona: Several things stop women from living a bigger life. Many never take the time to really define what they want in all aspects of their life, or assess who they are and what they are good at. Women often hide their dreams, never daring to go for it. Obstacles that we are unaware of hold us back, unless we have the framework to discover these and move on from them. Sometimes these obstacles are inherited for generations and are so ingrained in us that we believe it is us. Women need a sisterhood to belong to, a collaborative save environment to rediscover their wisdom, dare to voice their dreams and be kept accountable. So many of us make plans and wishes at the beginning of the year, however only 8% stick to these resolutions, because life happens, and we have no one proactively helping us stay on track.

Tsitaliya: I would like to ask a few questions about you as well. You are mothers, wives, business owners and you are also co-founders of the Driven Woman network and Heads of DrivenWoman Switzerland. How do you make this all work for you and your families? What keeps you sane on those days when you feel overwhelmed and stressed?

Fiona: I’ve tried many different routines and rituals to cope with stress and overwhelm. Since working for myself, I’ve found that planning my time on a Sunday night is crucial to staying sane. I review the past week and plan for the coming week in meticulous detail in order to juggle a hectic family life with my work. I meditate for 10 minutes most weekday mornings which helps me focus on the breath and clear my mind of clutter. I’m also pretty active and often make time for a short jog. Running in the mountains here in Switzerland reminds me how lucky I am and how important it is for me to have a positive impact on the world.

Leonie: Starting the day off right, keeps me sane I wake up at 5 am, earlier than my family, so that I have time for myself to focus on meditation, being grateful, exercise, journaling and mindset before anyone wants anything from me. I am a natural doer, so doing is my comfort zone. Starting my day of being, rather than doing, set a right tone. Rising early allows me to be creative before my “planned” day starts. When possible I try to take a short nap around mid-day, to re-energise and give my brain a break.

Tsitaliya: How do you cope with self-doubt?

Fiona: As I get older I struggle less with self-doubt than I did years ago. Actually, I find now that the area this appears in my life is in my parenting skills – and so I tend to focus on being the best I can at that moment – rather than striving for perfection at all times. If I yell at my boys, I apologise and explain what caused me to snap, rather than feeling guilty or doubting myself. And I think they understand that I’m doing my best and that’s ok.

Leonie: This is a great question, as I used to strive for perfection in everything I do, setting very high standards for myself. I am kinder to myself these days and have learnt that not everything can always be done on time or needs to be taken care of. I have learnt to say no or delegate. Working with great partners like Fiona and Miisa has been such a blessing, as we all have such different skill sets, which compliment each other so well. When in doubt, I reach out to Fiona and/or Miisa as my sounding-board.

Tsitaliya: What is your definition of success?

Fiona: Success for me is having the freedom to make choices. Whether it be to support sustainable businesses, empower ambitious women or to help my children know their strengths – the key for me is to be able to choose and this comes through financial freedom.

Leonie: My definition of success is living a balanced life doing impactful work.

Tsitaliya: Fiona I’ve known you for more than a year now but we have mostly been working together and you have helped me a lot in running my own business helping me with structure, focus and clarity, which I am so grateful for! However, I realise I know very little about you. Can you share one thing most people don’t know about you?

Fiona: I love to learn and develop and I enjoy reading every night – but never fiction. I create my reading list at the start of each quarter and plan what I’m going to read depending on what I want to achieve or become in the next 90 days. I’m quite strategic about what I read and it ranges from classic business books such as Napoleon Hill’s Think And Grow Rich which I read every year to productivity books like The One Thing by Gary Keller to more spiritual books like A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.

Tsitaliya: Leonie, you are coming from the corporate world, but you are also the co-founder of the Driven Woman Network. I love to be around women like you, with this unstoppable energy, who move with clarity and purpose in life and always radiate joy. Are you always like this and what drives you, what makes you wake up every morning with such energy?

Leonie: Thank you Tsitaliya, that is very kind of you to say. Yes, work part-time as a lawyer in the hedge fund world. I have always had an appetite for doing my own thing, and have been a part of a number of social media start-ups, own bilingual daycare centres and love renovating homes. Being energetic and positive comes naturally to me, I guess it is something I was born with. I have always been driven, hungry to discover life and all it has to offer. Life is such a gift and I love to celebrate it with much gusto. That is not to say that I have my off days or weeks. I have learnt to take time for myself when I am not a ball of energy and not be hard on myself, but just let a dark time pass when it is ready. I have learnt to keep a distance from people that try to take advantage of my positive energy and can-do attitude, as protecting myself is sometimes very necessary. I am fiercely loyal and go to the ends of the earth and beyond for the ones I love.

You can purchase your ticket for the Festival of Doers in Zurich here.

I’ve always been interested in innovative, imaginative and eco-friendly toys, children clothes and brands that stimulate our children’s individual taste and creative spirit. That’s why I decided to write a post about some of the brands and labels I love and use at home for my kids without necessarily focusing on clothes or toys, but rather lifestyle and that can include art and books too.

I want to start this post with a little story. My daughter had a birthday last week and we didn’t know what to buy for her, so we decided to do a simple one-day trip to the nearby town, have pizza and ice cream, and spend the day together without an actual plan or schedule. Yet I kept having this guilty feeling that she wouldn’t have a celebration with a big cake and candles, and a room full of kids singing “Happy Birthday”…

…Like everyone else.

Even though I swore to avoid the competitive parent trap and making grand gestures for my kids such as a surprise trip to Disney Land or a room full of balloons, I couldn’t keep myself from the old habits that die hard, and still invited the neighbours to a little party at our house. We ended up filling the house with more toys, noise, and clutter instead of choosing to create a different ritual, our own.

I am sure you already know that having fewer toys benefits kids and gives them the freedom to immerse themselves deeply in imagination rather than superficial play and entertainment. The problem I notice though is that, today, most of us know a lot about many things, but how much of this knowledge do we actually use? Most things remain just a theory or a philosophy we like to discuss with friends and family over dinner, without actually applying it.

Now don’t get me wrong: giving and receiving gifts can be a wonderful expression of love, and I also like to consider it a way of cultivating a certain taste and sense of aesthetic in our kids; directing their curiosity towards arts, crafts, different cultures and traditions, but only as long as it doesn’t turn into consumerism that monopolises our relationships.

With this in mind, today’s post is about 5 kids’ lifestyle brands we love because of the way they nurture individuality, personal style, and creativity in our kids today.

Take a journey to another place, find peace, serenity, and see the world through the eyes of well-traveled photographer Giovanna Aryafara.

The moment I saw her posters I knew I had found home… The truth is I have a thing for portrait photography, maybe because I am a journalist and I like to read the stories of people first by reading their faces. In some way I want to pass that fascination to my children and Giovanna’s portraits are my best chance to do it. Her portraits from Ethiopia, Bali, Myanmar, and India are so captivating, so candid and expressive that you can’t resist imagining them in your child’s room, just to remind him or her of the amazing world out there that he or she is about to discover.

Gentle Spirit Giovanna Photography canvas art is now available from Spirit Publishing! These pieces are designed exclusively by Giovanna for Spirit Publishing and are printed with 100% eco-solvent inks using sound digital printing processes. To preserve further the life of each piece, artworks are printed onto 100% cotton canvas.

We recently received a little present from Sostrene Grenes, which brought more joy to my kids’ bedtime routine and pillow fights. They both adored the hand-drawn illustrations on their new green- and rose-coloured pillows and later fell in love with the animal-shaped night lights, pretty wall stickers, and delicate bedstead canopy.

“With a curious and creative mind, even the smallest things can become something wonderful”, says one of the Grene sisters. Anna and Clara are able to find beauty and happiness in even the smallest of things, and they hope to share their excitement with the rest of the world. They have created a chain of retail stores that house a truly special atmosphere: walking into one of these stores is meant to feel like entering an oasis where, at least for a moment, shoppers can take a break from the hectic pace of everyday life. In this way, the sisters seek to set the stage for wonderful experiences and joyful moments; experiences that encourage people to explore and let their imaginations run free.

I won’t deny it: as someone obsessed with shoes, my daughter is following in my footsteps and already has her own impressive shoe collection. Two of the pairs she feels most proud wearing are the original Tiger Swiss shoes. My daughter already knows the value of real, quality, handmade shoes. She can tell you that the Tigers are as Swiss as chocolate, cows, and watches. They are made from high-quality, natural materials and meticulous, painstaking workmanship involving more than 20 stages, guaranteeing excellence.

Tiger shoes have been around since 1938, and almost every Swiss child has worn a pair or two while getting up to mischief.

Lea & Jojo is a sweet mix of utopia and candour, whose wish is to allow you to consume better. Founded by two mothers and driven by a deep desire to offer an alternative to traditional textiles, which unfortunately deplete nature resources, Lea and Jojo offers a collection of children’s raincoats that combine quality, ecological awareness, social ethics, and safety. We absolutely support their cause and of course love their product!

Soft fabrics, sober colors, no-nonsense. Freedom to explore the world; fit to make life an adventure. How can you not love the Little Hedonist?

The Little Hedonist is a Dutch label that celebrates simplicity and freedom as central themes. Freedom in movement to enjoy the adventures of life; freedom in exploring the world. Little Hedonist always uses organic materials including the highest-quality organic (wool-) cotton, but also Tencel and bamboo. Soft and sustainable! We love their beanies and easy jerseys, but most of all we fell head over heels for their organic wool-cotton and bamboo lullaby cribs.